Waiting
by alanacrystal
Summary: Three girls meet again by chance for the first time in two years, only to find out they have the same problem. Their beloveds have left them. Will their patience be worth it? KaiHil, SasuSaku, ZaneAlexis. Beyblade/Naruto/Yugioh GX crossover.
1. Fateful Reunion

The brunette rested her chin in her hand, sighing deeply. It had been a hard day for the G-revolutions and the rest of the Beybladers helping them fight against Boris' BEGA league. They had tried to find a suitable Blader to battle in the next match from those who were eager to take on the league's team but to no avail. They had tried everything; from discussing statistics to battling it out for the chance to fight in tomorrow's match. BEGA was in the lead with one point more than them. It would be over for Beyblading's future if they lost the next Beybattle.

_We need somebody who will win it for sure or we won't stand a chance against Boris_, Hilary thought. _Tyson's been taking out his frustration on the other Bladers in training – he's been beating them for the last four hours! It didn't look like he'd stop anytime soon so that's why I'm here at the park to clear my mind and get some peace and quiet...but it's not working at all. _

She glanced up at the sky. It was streaked with orange, gold and red as the sun began to set, late afternoon giving way to early evening. _It's so pretty. If I had someone to share the view with it'd be perfect. Like Kai for instance. _Her ruby eyes widened at the notion. _What the heck am I thinking! _She shook her head furiously, mentally scolding herself. Another sigh escaped her. _I can't deny that we need him though. He'd be our best bet. If only he were here..._

"Are you okay?" a voice asked. It sounded vaguely familiar for some reason.

Hilary's ruby eyes met emerald ones. "It's you. It's been a while."

"Sure has – more like years," Sakura remarked, sitting down beside her on the bench and adjusting the red headband in her pink hair.

She was taller, her figure more lithe and slender, her once long, flowing magenta hair now a neat shoulder-length. The girlish, ditzy demeanour had been replaced by a more restrained, mature persona. She radiated a strength and determination Hilary had not seen in her before. She had become a woman, just like Hilary herself. It was strange how in such a short time people could change.

"I'm tired and worried," Hilary admitted. "Things have been rough lately. I'll explain about it later." Her frown became a smile. "What brings you to town? I like the new hairstyle, by the way."

"Thanks. I decided it was time for a change," the pink-haired ninja chuckled. "The Village Hidden In The Leaves allowed me to take a break from missions so I thought I'd visit Bay City. A lot has changed since we last talked which is why I haven't been writing to you as often."

"That's okay. We've all been busy. It's just good to see you again in person!" Hilary grinned. Chatting to Sakura always cheered her up and took her mind off pressing matters.

She remembered how she, her and Alexis – another girl she had not seen in years now that she thought about it – had met clearly. Two years ago, at the age of thirteen – a year before she had met the Bladebreakers – she had gone for a walk in the park to get some fresh air after being cooped up at home for two rainy weeks of the summer holidays. The sun had shone down warmly from a clear blue sky, the breeze cool and caressing. So lost in her daydream, Hilary had not realised two people were coming her way before it was too late.

_Once they had picked themselves up and apologised to each other, introductions were made. A tall girl with shoulder-length golden brown hair wearing a blue-and-white uniform introduced herself as Alexis Rhodes. The other girl had waist-length pink hair secured by a dark-blue headband with a metal plate bearing a leaf symbol and wore a short-sleeved red dress trimmed with white that had a mandarin collar. Her name was Sakura Haruno._

_They sat down and talked about themselves. Alexis was a student at a school called Duel Academy and was in the top group Obelisk Blue along with her twin brother Atticus and best friend Zane Truesdale. It was obvious she admired Zane, for she talked about him the most and admitted shyly to having a crush on him._

_Sakura had attended a ninja academy at Konoha, the Village Hidden In The Leaves, until just recently (she graduated), training to become a skilled shinobi. She had been one of the top students there along with Sasuke Uchiha, a handsome and mysterious prodigy who was the only surviving member of the famous Uchiha clan. She was not afraid to reveal her crush on Sasuke; she and many other girls fancied him and never stopped vying for his attention. Ninja teams were going to be formed soon and she hoped to be working with him – maybe he would even notice her long hair which she had let grow to such a length. _

_Hilary told Alexis and Sakura about herself too. When asked about fancying boys, she responded honestly and quite proudly that she had no crushes whatsoever and had never had any. This surprised the other two girls; surely she had at least _noticed _a boy. Her answer remained the same. No, she had never taken any interest in one. School was far more important. How could they deal with their crushes and stay top of the class? She could not understand it. _

"_One day you will," was Alexis' reply. "One day you'll have feelings for a boy just like us."_

"_That's right," Sakura agreed. "Just you wait!" _

_Back then, Hilary had not believed them. Little had she known what would happen when she saw Kai for the first time. _

The three girls had agreed to write to each other, going their separate ways after spending just four days with one another. They had remained in contact ever since.

"You guys really _have _changed..." remarked somebody, breaking the brief silence between Sakura and Hilary.

The girls glanced up to see Alexis approaching them, wearing the same Obelisk Blue uniform. She, like Sakura, had grown taller and matured. Her hair was now waist-length. Her kind but occasionally bossy and stubborn nature had not changed.

"Hi!" they greeted her together.

"Hey," the brown-haired teen smiled. "Nice to see you two again. It's been two years now." She seated herself beside Hilary.

"Yes," the brunette nodded. "How are things?"

"Okay I guess..." Alexis trailed off. "Loads of things have been happening."

"Same here," she sighed. "Sakura's had this too."

There was a short pause.

"Who wants to start first?" asked Alexis some minutes later.

"I will," Sakura volunteered. "But first, let's talk guys. Who's got one they like?"

Alexis and Hilary nodded.

Alexis confirmed her crush remained on Zane although she had had one briefly on Jaden Yuki at one point, a hotheaded, courageous Duelist in the Slifer Red dormitory. It had passed soon enough and her feelings for Atticus' friend had only grown stronger.

Hilary explained that she had a crush on Kai which had begun a year after she had met the girls and had remained constant for almost two years.

"That's great!" beamed Alexis. "I told you you'd find someone."

"Sure is. Good on you, Hil," laughed Sakura.

"Uh...thanks," Hilary smiled weakly, her cheeks colouring a slight red.


	2. The Events Of Two Years Past

"Okay." Sakura straightened, her smile gone and seriousness replacing it. An expression Hilary had not seen from her before. "I'll begin. This is what's happened since I last saw you guys..."

She had got on to the same team as Sasuke and Naruto Uzumaki, a rash and determined boy who wanted to become Hokage, the leader of Konoha. They had trained under Kakashi Hatake, an experienced ninja of the jounin rank and taken exams for certains levels of ninjutsu, learning about teamwork and friendship along the way and overcoming many trials and tribulations. She had got to know Sasuke more personally and her feelings evolved from those of hero-worship and admiration to love and respect.

Things had changed though when Sasuke left Konoha. Vowing to avenge his clan that had been murdered by his older brother Itachi, he decided that power was the only way forward and sought aid with evil ninjas from elsewhere; he had taken all the village had to offer. Sakura had tried to stop him, doing everything she could to persuade him to rethink his actions. She had confessed her love for him in the process but to no avail. He had rendered her unconscious through a pressure point and left her on a bench, leaving the village unnoticed.

"Sasuke has not returned since then," Sakura concluded. "I've seen him once or twice and my team has even fought him but we've never succeeded in bringing him back with us." She wiped her eyes roughly. "Darn...I promised myself I wouldn't cry about it anymore. So much for that."

"It's okay to cry about him," Alexis told her. "Trust me. Trying to stop yourself makes it worse."

"You hurt yourself more," concurred Hilary.

Sakura gave them a melancholy smile, letting the tears flow. "It's no use. It seems like he'll _never _come back. Naruto, Kakashi and my team have tried everything but it hasn't been enough. No matter how much I believe in him and love him, how much I..." She suppressed a sob. "I hate to say this but...I'm almost at the point of giving up."

"Don't, Sakura!" Hilary gasped. "There's still a chance. He listened to you before he left, didn't he? If he had have been _that_ intent on leaving he would have knocked you out before you even started talking and left you on the ground."

"I've...never thought of it that way," Sakura said slowly, brightening a little.

"There'll always be a place at Konoha for Sasuke if you don't give up."

"You're right. Thank you, Hil," Sakura sniffled, giving her a watery smile.

"I suppose it's my turn to explain what's gone on for these last two years," Alexis began. "Duel Academy has had many strange and terrible things happen..."

She, Zane, Atticus, Jaden and their other friends had gone through times that had placed the fate of the school and even the world in their hands; an alien race from outer space had possessed a boy who could predict the future with stunning accuracy and used him as a medium to take control of students and teachers alike, a madman had tried to over the Academy using the Sacred Beast cards, a dark gang of Duellists had sought control over the island and more recently, Zane had graduated from the Academy and gone into the professional duelling leagues only to change into a completely different person – a ruthless Duellist called the Kaiser. Nobody had been able to stop him nor change him back to the way he had once been.

A portal to a weird and wonderful dimension where Duel Monsters lived had been opened and Alexis and her friends had tried to close it, only to be sucked in and trapped there until they were defeated in Duels or a clever scientist and Duel Monster creator Pegasus found a way to reopen the portal. Surprisingly, the Kaiser had got involved too and helped fight the evil monsters in the dimension with them. He had obtained a powerful deck with equally malevolent monsters that had a bad affect on his health and body, namely his heart.

In an amazing act of courage, determination and friendship, he had battled a new student to the Academy named Jesse who was being controlled by something evil in the place of Jaden, who was in no fit state to Duel. Despite protests from his friends and massive strain the deck put on his heart he had fought with all his might. The battle had been close but his heart had given out at the last minute, making him unable to continue any further. He had collapsed and vanished not long after. His chest had been still.

"It's been nearly two weeks since that day," Alexis finished. "We all arrived safely back in this world except for him. That's when we had to accept that he really was dead. I heard the news from Bastion – Jaden and Syrus were too upset to tell me. Atticus has been quiet ever since."

"Alexis..." Sakura's emerald eyes were empathetic.

"That's...that's terrible!" cried Hilary, devastated.

The tears in Alexis' brown eyes, the deep anguish and sorrow on her face were hard to see.

"When's the funeral?" Sakura whispered.

Alexis sighed, her fringe shadowing her eyes. "That's just it. There won't be one. His body was never found."

"What?" exclaimed Hilary.

"Zane can't have vanished into thin air!" Sakura was baffled.

"There's no other explanation."

There was a pause, then Sakura spoke up. "Like Hil's said, you can't give up hope. He could even be still alive."

Alexis sighed. "Everyone saw – except me and a few others – him die after that Duel."

"Even miracles can happen if you have faith," the pink-haired ninja replied gently.

"I - " Alexis faltered. The tears that stood in her eyes rolled down her face.

They placed hands on her shaking shoulders.

"Maybe – you're right..."


	3. Old Friends, New Friends

They waited patiently for Alexis' sobs to subside and then Hilary brought them up to speed on what had happened to _her_ the last two years.

She had changed from somebody who viewed Beyblading as a waste of time to someone who was interested in the sport despite not taking part herself and had a deep crush on one of its most famous players. She and the Bladebreakers had gone through many trials and tribulations; they had been kidnapped and stranded on a remote island, fought battles with digital copies of her friends' Bit Beasts, faced a mysterious Beyblade team and an evil scientist named Dr. Zagart intending to steal the team's creatures and the team had split up, the four members having to face each other in the World Championships.

It had tested their friendship to the limit and hurt Kenny and herself watching them get tense and even angry with each other at times; she and the Chief had hoped fervently that things would improve between them – which they did – as the tournament progressed. A fierce battle in the finals between Kai and Tyson proved to be the most intense show of rivalry between the former Bladebreaker members. It was a close fight but Tyson had won in the end.

To her relief, the former team-mates' friendship had remained intact despite the fact that two of them did not reunite with her, Kenny, Daichi and Tyson after the tournament. Things settled down between the team members and it had felt good to know they were as close they had been the year before. Hilary did not see nor hear anything about Kai and Ray until Boris Balkov disturbed the peace.

He overthrew the BBA and replaced it with his own association, BEGA. After the Blitzkrieg Boys' attempts to defeat him which had resulted in their leader Tala Ivanov being left in a coma, Tyson and his team decided enough was enough, there and then vowing retribution. Ray, Kai and Hiro Granger, Tyson's older brother, had witnessed the whole thing too. Ray reunited with Tyson and Hiro and Kai, in a surprise move, joined Boris' side. It had hurt Tyson to see his own brother and one of his closest friends and rivals siding with the enemy and the others too.

Both sides began forming teams and the team that had once been BBA Revolution became the G-revolutions. Boris held a small tournament to select members, with Kai fighting for the last spot on the team against a strange, unnatural Beyblader with the name of Brooklyn. He tried with all his might to beat him but suffered a terrible defeat at his hands, being rendered unconscious by his attacks. Unbeknown to him, Tyson and the others had watched it on TV.

This had made them even more determined to take Boris down. Armed with new powerful Beyblades that Kenny had produced, they had fought the BEGA bladers. Daichi, Ray and Max had battled their hardest but Beyblading's future did not look bright. With BEGA having two wins and the G-revolutions only one, tomorrow's match was their last chance to even the odds.

"We're in need of a Blader to battle tomorrow but there's nobody strong enough among us," Hilary informed Sakura and Alexis. "We all know deep down that Kai is the only one would win it - although because we haven't seen him since he lost to Brooklyn, he's out of the question. That's what _everyone else _thinks anyway." She blinked away tears of frustration and sadness, grinning at her friends. "I believe he'll come back. I couldn't stop him from leaving the team at the World Championships like I did last year nor from joining Boris but I _can _have faith in his return."

Sakura nodded. "I'm sure he'll help the G-revolutions through this and give you guys another chance to win against BEGA."

"Maybe he'll even turn up today!" suggested Alexis brightly. "You never know."

"That's right!" laughed Hilary, glad she had got it off her chest.

"Man, aren't we a trio…" remarked Sakura. "We're so similar; top of the class, strong-willed, with feelings for mysterious, silent guys…"

"Who have left and betrayed us," Alexis finished for her. "But we miss them all the same."

"Yes," Hilary agreed. "Who would have thought we'd end up like up like this? I hope to tell Kai how I feel one day."

"Same here about Zane."

"Sasuke already knows about my feelings. All I want at the moment is to have him back again."

They fell silent for a few minutes.

Then Alexis spoke up. "Why don't you take us to meet your friends, Hilary?"

"Good idea," approved Sakura.

Hilary laughed at their eager faces. "Okay. Let's go."

She led them out of the park and they stopped beneath the great bridge overlooking the river where her friends were training. Tyson was panting, launcher and Beyblade in hand, glancing around impatiently at his team-mates.

"Come on, guys!" he urged his tired friends, who were either stretched out at the bottom of the grass slopes or sitting down and taking a breather.

"Sorry, Tyson," Ray sighed. "We're beat."

"We haven't had a break yet," Max added.

"They're right," Hilary joined in. "You've been driving them like a pack of sled dogs for the last four hours!"

Tyson looked about to retort when he noticed the two strange girls standing beside her. "Who are you?"

"I'm Sakura," the pink-haired girl answered. "I'm a ninja from the Village Hidden In The Leaves, which is also known as Konoha."

"The name's Alexis," the other one stated. "I'm a Duellist from Duel Academy."

He gave them a confused frown. "Never heard of _those _places…"

"I have…vaguely," piped up Kenny from beside Max and Ray, typing away on his laptop. "Ah, here it is. It says that Konoha is one of many hidden villages throughout Japan home to ninja. Not much is known about it and it's almost impossible to find, being so isolated from the outside world. What little knowledge we have is gleaned from ninja that go on missions or visit places outside of their boundaries." He glanced up at Sakura. "Like you for instance."

"That's right. I'm taking a break from missions and decided to come here for a bit, though only ninja of a certain rank and with a high level of reliability and trustworthiness can do something like this."

"Interesting…" the Chief was intrigued. "I suppose it's only natural. After all, you don't want to hurt innocent people by letting out a rogue ninja."

Hilary saw a mixture of anguish and pain briefly flash across her face. _That's what Sasuke is…a rogue ninja. _She surreptiously cast her friend a sympathetic glance.

"Yes." Sakura quickly regained her composure, giving the brunette a smile. "That's why Konoha does it."

"Duel Academy is school which, like Konoha, is hidden from the rest of the world. It is situated on a remote island that is difficult to get to. Only skilled Duelists - players of the Duel Monsters card game - can attend," Kenny explained. "It's very famous among Duellists and those who go there are said to excel. There are three groups that divide up the students: Slifer Red, Ra Yellow and Obelisk Blue. Slifer Red is the bottom group whereas Obelisk Blue is for the best Duellists there; players can move up or down depending on well they do. Each group has a dormitory and a uniform which represents them." He looked at Alexis. "I see that you're in Obelisk Blue."

"Yes," she confirmed. "I'm one of the top Duellists in the Academy as well as the dorm. I've come to Bay City because it's the spring break and also because the school's getting repairs done after some equipment went wrong. I'll most likely be here for longer than two weeks - it's taking them a while."

"Me too. My sensei said I needed a break from my medical role as well as missions."

"You've been medically trained?" Hilary was surprised. "That's great. How come you didn't tell me?"

Sakura smiled ruefully. "I forgot."

"I don't mind," the brunette assured her. She knew there was more to what the girls had told her friends.

Sakura had been very stressed and upset lately after failing to find Sasuke for the umpteenth time; so much so that her teacher had insisted she take a break. Naruto had apparently been told the same although Sakura suspected he was continuing to search for the Uchiha despite the fact he was on leave.

Alexis, like all the other students affected by what had happened with the portal, had been told to have some time away from the Academy. It was also because of Zane's death she had been asked to do this.

It was clear that both places hoped the girls would forget about their losses once they had had time to themselves. Hilary snorted. _As if that would ever happen. _

"How do you know Sakura and Alexis, Hilary?" Kenny asked, breaking through her thoughts.

She explained and then introduced her friends to the girls. "This is Kenny, the brains behind our new Beyblades and the strategist and technician of the team."

"It's nice to meet you. People around here call me the Chief."

"As you might have already figured out, that's Tyson." The brunette nodded to the navy-haired teen. "He's currently captain of the G-revolutions team and was the one who challenged Boris. His Blading style is powerful and based on attack - no surprise since he always goes into battle without any thought and is quite the hothead. He _is _an idiot, after all."

"Hey!" Tyson complained. "I'm not _that _bad."

"Oh yeah?" Hilary raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Then why have you driven your team-mates to exhaustion?"

"Huh," Tyson huffed, unable to think of a comeback.

Sakura giggled.

"What's so funny?" he demanded.

"Oh nothing. You two arguing like that remind me of myself and Naruto."

"Oh." He did not know whether to take that as an insult or a compliment. "Anyway, this is my Beyblade - Dragoon Metal Storm. Check it out!"

He held the blade out for the girls to see, chuckling proudly.

"It's tiny!" Alexis exclaimed.

"How can something like this be powerful?" wondered Sakura.

Tyson grinned. "You'll see." He turned to the other Bladers. "Anyone want to battle me?"

They shook their heads.

Hilary introduced the rest of her friends to Sakura and Alexis and had just finished showing them how the Hard Metal System Beyblades had been designed on Kenny's computer when Tyson let out a loud yell of frustration. He loaded his launcher and thrust it above his head, launching Dragoon into the air. The silver-grey Beyblade shot skyward.

There was a flash as spark flew, followed by a metallic clang. Dragoon hurtled back into Tyson's blue-gloved palm.

A familiar black-gloved hand was raised and caught the object that had collided with Dragoon. Another Beyblade.


	4. Hope Returns

As they looked on, a tall teen, silhouetted against the orange-gold river that reflected the sunset, approached. His eyes were closed nonchalantly beneath his dishevelled silver fringe; the muscles in his arms, which were covered in a multitude of cuts, rippled as he walked toward them. His steps were effortless, purposeful, his physical presence overwhelming. Everything about him, from the imposing dark blue battle insignia on his face to his athletically built figure, radiated resolution and power.

Sakura and Alexis were in awe of him. They had not seen anyone, except Sasuke and Zane, with this kind of aura.

He stopped a metre from them. His outline was softened at the edges by the gentle rays of the setting sun. The wind whispered through his silver and dark hair, making the tails of his long white scarf undulate on the breeze. He slowly opened his eyes, fixing them with an intense amethyst gaze.

"You're late," Tyson addressed him, breaking the silence.

"No." Hilary shook her head, smiling, her eyes sparkling with joyful tears. "You're right on time."

"Hn." Kai grunted. She thought she saw the corners of his mouth curve upward slightly.

"So this is the guy," Alexis commented.

"Yes," the brunette confirmed proudly, turning back to the two girls. "He's the one."

"Kai's a stunner," whispered Sakura, nudging her and winking playfully.

"I…I guess," Hilary admitted, blushing.

"Let's do this, Kai!" declared Tyson, holding out his launcher at the ready.

"Hn." Kai smirked. "Yeah." He did likewise.

As Max and Ray counted down from three to one, Alexis and Sakura waited in anticipation. They were finally going to see a Beybattle and how Beyblades held the high level of power Hilary had spoken of.

Hilary watched them release their blades, her eyes remaining on Kai as he urged Dranzer to attack Dragoon. He had left many questions unanswered in his absence but she would get to the bottom of those later. For now, she was just content to have him back with them, battling Tyson like he had always done back when they had been the Bladebreakers. He had made her and the team whole again.

By the time they left their training spot, the sky had become a deep blue with stars scattered across the endless expanse, sparkling like millions of tiny diamonds.

"That was a great battle," remarked Sakura to Alexis. "Who knew that such small spinning could have so much power!"

"Yeah," the Obelisk Blue concurred. "It was really exciting to watch Tyson and Kai fight. No wonder they're the best Bladers around!"

Hilary chuckled. "You haven't seen anything yet. Just wait until they get serious."

"What?" Alexis gasped. "You mean all those blasts, cracks in the ground, minor injuries and small craters were them _just getting started_?"

"Yes," the brunette answered knowingly. "Trust me - when they go all-out you'll know about it."

"Kind of reminds me of Naruto and Sasuke," Sakura mused. "Like Tyson and Kai, there's a strong rivalry between them. It got even more intense when Sasuke left although at the moment, all Naruto wants is to get him back. I hope they get along better when he returns…"

The other girls glanced at her in concern as she trailed off.

She laughed sheepishly. "There I go rambling on again. Don't worry about it."

Alexis looked unconvinced. "Okay," she conceded reluctantly.

They entered the small courtyard outside the Granger dojo.

"Kai's going to win for us tomorrow - I believe in him." Hilary changed the subject. "I can't wait to see the looks on the BEGA bladers' faces! They wouldn't have expected him to return to us. They think he'll have given up." She chuckled. "They clearly don't him very well. Kai's determination is such that he'll never let a loss bring him down. We've got the best team ever now that he's back!"

Kai obviously overheard this because he gave her a tiny, faint smile over his shoulder. "Hn."

Hilary stopped walked abruptly, staring after him as he disappeared inside with the rest of the team. _Kai…he _smiled _at me. _

It had made him look even more handsome. A red flush spread across her cheeks.

"Hilary…Earth to Hilary." Alexis waved a hand in front of her face.

"Huh?" The brunette jerked out of her daze.

"You were staring into space with this dreamy look on your face," Sakura grinned. "It's Kai, isn't it? What did he do?"

"Nothing," lied Hilary, her blush deepening.

"Yeah right," Alexis pouted. "Spill it."

She looked at the ground. "He…he smiled at me."

"I see." Sakura's grin broadened. "Good for you."

"Guys like him look so cool when they smile," Alexis sighed. "It's a shame they don't it often enough."

Now that she thought about it, she could not remember when Zane had last done that. It had definitely been before he became the Hell Kaiser. He had smiled around her when they were alone together beside the lighthouse in Duel Academy's harbour. Those had been the best times; it was just him and her, content to share their thoughts and relish each other's presences. She hoped someday she would be able to do that again with him.

As they headed inside, Alexis heard Max remark to Ray, "Hilary hasn't been this happy since before the World Championships when the Bladebreakers were still together."

"I know," replied the Chinese, his golden eyes gazing at the brunette kindly. "The team is now complete…but I think it might also have something to do with Kai's return."

Alexis smiled. It was good that Hilary was happy. She hoped that she and Sakura would find happiness when their crushes returned too.


	5. Saving Kai

"Are…Are you alright?" Alexis asked worriedly as Hilary burst into her hotel room, where she was talking to Sakura.

It was the following day, early afternoon and Kai had battled in the next match as the G-revolutions had hoped. Thanks to him, the team was still in the game and had a chance at defeating BEGA. If Tyson won his battle they would tie with Boris and there would be a final match to decide the victor. Alexis and Sakura had not witnessed the fight but watched it on TV instead, making enquiries about Zane and Sasuke. Unfortunately, there was no news about them so far.

"It's Kai!" exclaimed Hilary, trembling and holding back tears. "You know how he collapsed and Tyson caught him but he said he was fine? Well he's _not_. I went in the direction he had gone after the others took a break and…" She took a shaky breath to suppress the sobs threatening to overwhelm her. "I found him in the corridor. He's unconscious and Dranzer's in pieces!"

Sakura placed an arm around her, steering her toward a seat. Hilary sank into the chair. "Kai will be okay, don't worry," she reassured her friend. "Leave this to us."

Once Hilary had calmed down a bit they called a taxi and drove to the BEGA HQ, Alexis phoning for an ambulance on the way.

Hilary raced down the dimly lit corridor in which she had found Kai with Sakura and Alexis hot on her heels. Their hurried footsteps made echoing thumps that resounded off the walls and the ceiling, filling the quiet, almost empty passageway with such calamity they winced at the din. An immense terror clenched at Hilary's heart. Maybe leaving him like that had been a bad idea. What if they were too late? Her run broke into a desperate sprint, surprising the others who hastily quickened their pace to catch up.

Her brown trainers trod on something hard. Hilary stopped running abruptly, bending down to pick up what she had stepped on. It was a fragment of dark blue plastic rimmed with metal. A piece of Dranzer Metal Spiral's attack ring. As her eyes adjusted to the gloom, she noticed that numerous fragments of the Beyblade were scattered across the floor. She had reached him.

Dranzer, like its owner, had seemed so strong, so determined in the battle that nobody had suspected the toll the fight had taken on it would be to such an extent.

Kai's motionless form was a crumpled heap against the wall. She hurriedly knelt down beside the teen, gently shaking him. "Kai, wake up. It's me. You need to wake up."

The Russian did not stir. His eyes remained closed beneath his dishevelled silver fringe.

Sakura ran over to them whilst Alexis began collecting up the shattered remains of Dranzer MS. She checked Kai's pulse. "It's slow. Not surprising, since he's suffered major exhaustion and blood loss. I'll see what I can do."

"Th…Thank you, Sakura," whispered Hilary.

The pink-haired ninja placed her hands on Kai's shoulders. Her emerald pools slid shut tightly; a look of deep concentration crossed her face. Green chakra crackled, flared from her downward palms. Hilary shielded her eyes from the dazzling, pulsating brilliance that filled the corridor.

A short time later, the green energy faded away. Sakura panted, wiped perspiration from her forehead. Treating someone with chakra, especially in Kai's condition, took it out of you.

"I used the Mystical Palm technique," she explained once she had got her breath back. "It's a multipurpose medical jutsu used for treatment and surgery - it speeds up cell regeneration. In this case, it accelerated the rate at which red blood cells are replaced."

"So that means he'll recover from his blood loss a lot quicker."

"That's right. He'll also take less time to recover in general." Sakura felt his wrist. "His pulse has improved. He's stabilised."

Hilary smiled. "That's brilliant, Sakura. Thank you so much."

The sound of pelting footsteps filled the air. The girls looked up to see medics rushing toward them. Kai was carefully lifted on to a stretcher, being checked over all the while.

Alexis held up Dranzer's pieces. "I'll take these to Kenny. He'll fix it, won't he?"

"Sure will," Hilary replied. "He's a genius."

"You go on ahead with Kai," Sakura told her. "I'll stay with Lexy and tell your team what's happened."

"Okay."

The ambulance sped to the hospital and Kai was whisked away to be examined and treated as soon as they arrived. Hilary waited for an hour or so whilst this happened and was allowed to see him once they had finished.

She sat at his bedside presently, holding his limp hand. Bandages swathed his torso, arms, neck and head. An oxygen mask covered his nose and mouth and he was attached to a drip and an ECG. The only sound that disturbed the stillness was the constant _beep _of his heart monitor.

Though he had not woken, Sakura's medical jutsu was already taking effect; his skin had regained it normal colour, his pulse was steady and strong and he had regained a decent amount of blood and had not needed a blood transfusion. _I'm sure Sakura will become a great medical ninja someday, surpass her sensei and maybe even be the best of all. It's because of her Kai is already recovering. _

Her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice, slightly muffled. "Hilary…"

Ruby met amethyst.

"Kai," Hilary smiled, wiping tears from her eyes with her free hand. "How are you feeling?"

"Hn. Great."

The brunette chuckled at the hint of sarcasm in his thin, coarse voice. Despite being weak, he could still make his usual grunts and short answers. "The doctors have said you won't be stuck here too long. Sakura used a jutsu to speed up your body's healing process."

"Good." He removed the oxygen mask, sitting up and wincing a little.

Hilary was concerned. "I don't think you should be - "

"I'm _fine_," he cut her off sharply.

She frowned, piqued. "Yeah right. If you move around, you'll - "

"Hn."

She sighed. There was no point in arguing with him. Sometimes he could be as stubborn as Tyson, if not more.

Sorrow dissolved her annoyance. "I was really scared…when I found you out cold like that," she admitted quietly, not meeting his gaze. "I was torn between getting help and staying with you. I decided to find Sakura and Alexis in the end and I think I made the right choice but at one point, I thought differently." She tightened her grasp on his hand subconsciously. "I thought that in leaving you I'd risked something terrible happening. I'm just glad your injuries weren't that bad."

Unbeknown to her, Kai's amethyst eyes had widened slightly. He had not expected her to worry so much about him, nor be this troubled. His gaze flickered down to the hand that held his. She had not let go at all since he had woken up. It was as if she feared he would vanish if she were to do so. He hated to admit to it but it was strangely comforting having her warm, gentle hand holding his and knowing how much she cared about him.

There was no doubt he had hurt her with his absence in the World Championships and when BEGA had reared its ugly head. He felt a pang for some reason at the thought.

It was no wonder she held his hand so tightly now; she was afraid he would leave again and never come back. Kai sighed inwardly at this realisation. It was funny how much one simple gesture could tell you about someone.


	6. Blame And Forgiveness

Hilary noticed his gaze on her hand and hastily released her grasp, her cheeks colouring a faint red. "Sorry," she mumbled ruefully.

"Hn." Kai closed his eye.

There was an awkward pause, then the brunette spoke. "It's good you won against Brooklyn, despite your injuries - you've really inspired us. Your victory will be spurring Tyson on when he battles later on today. Because of you, we're back on track and if Tyson wins we'll tie with BEGA." She smiled. "You've given us another chance. Thank you for coming back to the team and to me." Her blush became a darker shade and she stared hard at the white bed cover, as if regretting saying the last statement.

"Don't mention it." Kai raised a silver eyebrow at her embarrassment. She did not usually act like this around him nor was she this nervous. _It must be all the shock, worry and relief of my return and finding me unconscious catching up with her_, he decided. _It's understandable. _

Hilary saw his inquiring look and elaborated. "I'm glad you returned to the team because…it wasn't the same without you there. Everything felt incomplete. It was going downhill; I almost thought we'd have to forfeit against BEGA and you'd never come back," she explained. "Up until that point, I believed in you and had done even back at the World Championships. With things as they were I couldn't help but start having doubts - but then I met Sakura and Alexis again after two years."

"Their situations were similar to mine; they had also been at the point of giving up on their missing guys. We restored one another's faith though and good things happened for me. I hope it's the same for them. But…" She gripped the bed sheet so hard her knuckles turned white and her arms shook, her ruby eyes shadowed by her brown fringe. "Who says you won't leave again? I missed you so much…I won't be able to handle another time. So please, for me…promise that you'll stay."

Silence fell. Hilary's shoulders trembled, her breaths sharp and hitched, moisture speckling the white bed cover. Kai stared at her wordlessly. He had never seen her this upset; his absence had caused her far more pain than he had realised.

"Y'know…there were times I blamed myself for not stopping you." Hilary's voice was a shaking, breathy whisper that was almost inaudible. "I'd noticed in the World Championship preliminaries when you were battling that something wasn't right. You weren't your normal self…you seemed to be stalling, waiting for your opponent to knock your Beyblade out of the arena. I thought you'd lost the drive to win and didn't want to be there - a short time later I found out that I'd been right. You had left by then, probably early in the morning before we set off for the training centre. It was too late…you were gone and there was nothing I could do about it."

Her gaze snapped upward to meet his, her ruby eyes flaring with anguish and anger. "You left at the crack of dawn without so much as a goodbye so nobody would notice, isn't that so? You did it because you knew I would look for you like I did last year! It was because of _me_, wasn't it?" she demanded.

Kai made no response. He did not deny it.

She took his silence as confirmation. "I knew it. I should have asked you about your behaviour when I had the chance - but I didn't. If I had…all the stress Kenny, Tyson and I went through would not have happened. I should have sought you out after the World Championships too to get you back but I didn't! There's so many things I could…_should_…have done and…I failed to do _any _of them!" She covered her face with the sheet, more tears soaking the white linen. "I've failed myself and you…"

"You're wrong."

"But - "

"No!" Kai cut in sharply.

Hilary raised her head to stare at him, shocked.

His amethyst eyes flashed with self-reproach, guilt and anger. "It's my fault! I didn't know it'd hurt you this much. I'm sorry." He heaved a weary sigh, dragging a bandaged hand through his scruffy silver hair. "_I've_ failed _you_. You've been there so many times and what did I do? I left at the World Championships and betrayed you and the others when BEGA appeared. I don't know how you guys accepted me back, let alone looked me in the eye."

"Kai…" Hilary could not believe it. He felt ashamed at what he had done and even _apologised_. To her no less. She placed a hand on top of his. "We took you back because that's what friends do. They forgive each other. The others care about you too much to just leave you by yourself…and I do too." She blushed, giving him a watery smile. "We need you, Kai. We wouldn't be anything without you…_I _wouldn't be anything without you. After all, you were the one who gave me a chance and accepted me into the Bladebreakers."

"Hn." He returned her grin with one of his faint, small smiles. "That's right."

"I'm glad you're back." Her smile faded slightly and she fixed him with an intent ruby gaze. "I just want you to promise me something - that you'll never leave like that again."

Kai held her serious stare. "I won't," he replied solemnly. "I swear."

"Good," approved Hilary, wiping away some stray tears. "Thank you, Kai. That means a lot to me."

"Hn." He closed his eye. His smile became clearer. "You're welcome."

Sakura and Alexis, who had arrived at the hospital after handing Dranzer to Kenny and letting the team know what had happened, exchanged smiles as they stood in the doorway watching the scene unfold. Hilary had got her feelings about Kai out in the open, he had apologised, been forgiven and now everything was okay again between them. With guilt and sadness set aside, they were sure she would soon get a chance to confess to him.


	7. Longing

The girls left the hospital to see Tyson battle. This time, Alexis and Sakura came with Hilary to the BEGA building and watched the navy-haired teen take on Garland, a Beyblader whose Blading style was based around kickboxing. It was an exciting match and the ninja and the Obelisk Blue student loved every minute. They cheered the loudest when he won, congratulating him along with the rest of the team.

They headed back to the dojo after that. Everybody was buzzing from Tyson's victory.

"We're now officially tied at three wins apiece," grinned Ray. "All that remains is the final battle."

"That's right," Alexis agreed. "If you win that one, BEGA's finished!"

"Then that jerk Boris would be locked up for good, right?" Sakura asked.

"You bet," Max assured her. "He deserves it after all he's done!"

"Yeah and it'll be for Tala, the Blitzkrieg Boys, Kai and all the Beybladers that have helped us to get where we are now!" declared Tyson.

Daichi laughed. "You said it, dude!"

Hilary paused. She turned to her friends. "I'm going to see Kai. Anyone coming with me?"

"Let's all go," Kenny suggested.

Everyone concurred and they did so.

Kai was a little taken aback by all the visitors but soon regained his composure. They talked to him about Tyson's match, how he was doing and Kenny gave him a new Dranzer MS. The phoenix Bit Beast had returned. The silver-haired Russian was pleased to have both his beloved fire-bird and Beyblade back.

Sakura and Alexis were introduced to him. Sakura told him that it would be a week or less before he was out of hospital thanks to her jutsu. This was good news to everybody; Tyson would get to battle him sooner than he had expected and Hilary would get the opportunity to tell him her feelings.

Sakura's statement to Kai proved true. In less than a week, he was released from the hospital along with Tala, two days after the ground-breaking, climatic battle against Brooklyn. Things were hectic and busy; various parts of Bay City were being rebuilt due to the vast destruction Brooklyn had caused. Other places around the world were doing the same. If the G-revolutions and the other Beybladers had not combined their power to defeat him, it would have been much worse. Everybody was relieved and glad it was over; BEGA was no more, Boris had been imprisoned and the BBA was back in business, starting afresh in a quaint venue whilst its headquarters were being reconstructed.

The G-revolutions and the other Beybladers were relaxing after their ordeal. Tyson and Kai had agreed not to battle since Kai had not been out of hospital long and they were helping the BBA, deciding to give it a month so everything could settle down.

They were presently at the park, Tyson and Daichi engaging in mock battle with some rookie Beybladers and Kenny videoing with the built-in camera on his laptop. Alexis and Sakura sat either side of him on a bench watching the screen in fascination; after getting past the shock of meeting the Bit Beast trapped inside the computer, they had been impressed by the Chief's knowledge and amazed at the many things he and Dizzi could do.

The Beybladers who had helped the G-revolutions were spread about the place in small clusters. Rick, Max, Michael, Raul, Julia, Mathilda and Miguel were battling each other as well as some amateur Bladers. Lee, Ray and Mariah were talking animatedly and it was hard not to miss Ray's muscular arm around his pink-haired friend.

Sakura tore her eyes from Kenny's screen to glance behind her. Kai sat in the dappled shade of a tree, leaning against the trunk, a long blade of green grass in his mouth. His eyes were closed lazily beneath his silver fringe. Hilary was next to him, hugging her knees to her chest. Sakura smiled. The brunette had never let him out of her sight nor left his side since he had been discharged from the hospital.

She caught a pale pink petal as it floated on the warm spring breeze. The blossoms that were her namesake were in full bloom on most of the trees in the park. They probably were back at Konoha too. Her emerald gaze took in the couples; Ray and the feisty but kind magenta-haired Mariah, Miguel and the sweet, shy Mathilda who reminded her somewhat of Hinata and then there were Kai and Hilary. They resembled the relationship between her and Sasuke.

"Sakura." Kenny addressed her.

She looked back at him. "Yes?"

"Would you like to see a video of Kai and Tyson having an all-out battle?" the Chief asked.

"Definitely," the pink-haired ninja responded eagerly.

"Okay…" He searched for the file and readied it for playback. "It was recorded during the finals of the Beyblade World Championships. As I've explained an official Beyblade match can consist of one to three battles - in this video, Tyson and Kai had already fought two and both were ties. The chairman decided for them to share the title because of their exhaustion and minor injuries but they had none of it…they wanted to have a winner."

Sakura chuckled. Those two were so like Naruto and Sasuke. "I bet Tyson complained first."

"Actually, Kai did. It surprised everybody. Tyson agreed with him and the crowd did too. Outvoted, all Mr. Dickenson could do was concede. The battle began."

Kenny played the video file. Sakura watched it in awe; the power Tyson and Kai unleashed was incredible. The battle she had witnessed almost a week earlier was nothing compared to this. She remembered the fight between Naruto and Sasuke on top of Konoha hospital three years ago; there was no doubt things would have ended up like they were in the video if Kakashi and Jiraiya had not stepped in and stopped the boys. What would have happened to her? She would have been caught in the crossfire and killed, if not badly hurt.

She and Alexis watched Tyson and Kai sway with exhaustion. Tyson only just managed to stay on his feet. Kai was not so lucky - he collapsed. Kenny stopped the video, explaining how there had been no bitterness nor hard feelings between the two although their rivalry would still remain strong. She hoped one day it would be that way with Naruto and Sasuke.


	8. Facing Up To Zane

Alexis' mobile rang. The Obelisk Blue answered it quickly; she seemed half-eager, half-fearful, almost frantic. It was as if she was expecting the call to be something dreadful. Sakura noticed her furrowed brow, her suddenly rigid posture, her tight grip on the phone.

The teen made minimal responses and then became quiet as she listened to what the person on the other end was saying. Her complexion grew pale, the hand that held the mobile shaking excessively. She only managed a short goodbye before hastily ending the call.

"Alexis…what's wrong?" Sakura asked, knowing that Hilary was listening intently behind her.

"They found Zane washed up on one of Duel Academy's beaches a couple of days ago," Alexis informed her. "He's alive and they treated him but…"

"But what? He's come back safe and sound as you hoped, hasn't he?" Hilary remarked matter-of-factly. "Unless something happened with his heart."

"It did. They said to him that as long as he's careful he'll be okay but a strange Duellist came along and they duelled - he used that evil deck I told you about."

Sakura and Hilary waited for her to continue. They knew where this was going.

"He won but the Duel had put pressure on his heart and he collapsed," went on Alexis, starting to tremble. "He was rushed to the infirmary with no pulse. If only he hadn't accepted the challenge…he would have…would have…"

"Lexy…" Hilary stood up and placed a hand on her shaking shoulder.

"We should go there right away!" declared Sakura.

"What?" Hilary glanced at her, bemused.

"We don't know if he really didn't survive. As a medical ninja, I know that even if the heart's stopped there's still a chance a person can live. Maybe they were able to resuscitate him."

"You've got a point," agreed Hilary.

"Then let's go."

Mr. Dickenson had them flown to Duel Academy in one of the BBA's helicopters. They arrived there an hour or so later.

Alexis rushed to the infirmary with the others close behind, bursting into the waiting room. Two boys looked up in surprise. One had scruffy dark brown hair and wore a red-and-white blazer and the other was shorter, wore glasses and had light blue hair. His attire was similar to Alexis' but was blue-and-white.

"Hey, Alexis," the Slifer Red student greeted her. "What's the hurry?"

"You've come to see my brother, haven't you?" the smaller boy sighed.

"Yes, Syrus," Alexis confirmed. She turned to the Slifer Red. "Jaden, is he allowed visitors?"

"Yeah but he's sleeping now. They managed to revive him."

"That's good," replied the Obelisk Blue, relieved. _So he's alive. _

She noticed Hilary and Sakura looking at her inquisitively. _Oh yeah! I haven't introduced them to my friends yet. _She did so and once they had become acquainted with each other, she led the two girls into Zane's room.

It was quiet except for the constant _beep _of a heart monitor. A teen with shoulder-length teal hair lay still in a hospital bed, his eyes closed. He was attached to a drip and an ECG. One glance at his handsome features was enough to see why Alexis had a crush on him.

She sat down on a chair beside the bed. "I don't know if you can hear me or not but don't ever scare me like that again," she whispered. "I thought you were gone for good. I…"

She shook her head furiously, blinking back tears and suppressing sobs. "I'm leaving!"

With that, she fled from the room. Her friends' calls fell on deaf ears.

Anguish. Anger. Frustration. Hurt. It all hit her at once; the feelings of loss and pain from him becoming the Kaiser to finding out he had died in the other dimension were finally catching up, threatening to overwhelm her.

Alexis ran pell-mell, not really registering where she was going. _I can't face him. Not like this. I've probably been wasting my time coming here - just because he did a good thing back in that dimension doesn't mean he's stopped being the Hell Kaiser. If he's still not the same Zane Syrus, Atticus and I knew then we'll have to accept that person's gone forever. _

Something cold and wet struck her hard and fast. Alexis ceased her flight abruptly, raising a hand to her smarting cheek. It felt like she had been slapped.

Then she realised where she was. A lighthouse towered above her; the roar of the ever restless sea filled the cool misty air. More flung spray stung her face. This was the place where she and Zane had spent most of their time alone before he had graduated.

Tears welled in her eyes. Why here now of all times? It was here that she had come when she had needed solace. It was here that Zane had provided it.

But being there now did nothing but bring forth more pain and bittersweet nostalgia. There was no solace and there was no Zane.


	9. Remembrance

Her legs buckled and she fell to her knees, trembling all over. _He once asked me if I needed a bodyguard to protect me whilst my brother was missing and I said no…maybe I should have accepted the offer because he would have continued to protect me even afterward. That would have stopped him from becoming the Kaiser. I'd have prevented it. _She sniffed, tears rolling down her face to splash the ground. Her sobs were drowned out by the sea.

_You said you'd miss me when you graduated and I knew how you felt. But you didn't even think of me, did you? I got no calls, no letters…nothing_, the Obelisk Blue remembered. _The next time I saw you was when you were the Kaiser. Even when you visited Duel Academy, I got nothing from you. Yet even after all that's happened, I still love you and that's why I came to see you today…but now that I think about it, it's pointless. You'll still be the Kaiser. Not Zane. _

"You lied when you said you'd miss me," Alexis remarked aloud.

"I meant it," came a voice from behind her.

Alexis did not turn and face him. "No you didn't. You've done enough. Leave me alone."

"You know me better than that, Lexy."

That tone. That nickname. Could it be that he -

_Stop it Alexis_, she admonished herself. _You're being delusional. There's no way. _"Go away, Kaiser!" she bit out.

"I'm not going anywhere." His voice remained calm.

"Kaiser…"

"That's not my name, Lex."

"It is! The person you were before is long gone…" She choked on a sob. "Stop torturing me and _leave_."

A heavy sigh. The Obelisk Blue felt him draw nearer until he was right behind her. His presence at such a close proximity made the breath hitch in her throat and her heart lurch.

"Don't come any closer, _please_…" Alexis sobbed. "You're making it worse."

Ignoring her request, he went and stood in front of her. She stared hard at the ground as he knelt down like she had done.

"Look at me."

"No…" she whispered, keeping her gaze fixed on the floor.

He tilted her face upward. Brown met grey. Alexis saw that his eyes were softened by concern and there was a light frown on his face as they searched hers. They were not flinty and hard like she had expected, nor was his expression stony and his voice cold.

"What do you see, Lex?" he asked.

"Zane…" was all she could manage before bursting into tears again, although this time it was from relief and joy. He let her cry into his shoulder.

They stood up once she had calmed down.

"I'm sorry for making you come out here," she told him sheepishly.

Zane gave her a small, sincere smile. "Don't worry about it. I'd much rather be here with you."

There was a pause. They stood almost shoulder to shoulder, staring out to sea. Like they had done before he had graduated.

"I'm glad you're back." Alexis spoke up, wiping the tears from her face. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too," Zane replied. "It feels like ages since we were last here like this."

"Yeah. It was one of the things I missed when you left. It used to be the only time we got some peace and quiet from noisy classmates and busy lessons," she recalled. "I always looked forward to it."

"Me too."

"Your health isn't good at the moment. If I were you I'd wait until you've recovered before you start duelling." She shifted her gaze to him briefly. Her tone became serious. "I don't want a repeat of what just happened. Just when I thought you were fine I nearly lost you again…so take it easy, okay?"

"I will," he promised.

Alexis switched her gaze to the sea, which was sparkling in the spring sunlight. It was a lovely sight. Keeping her eyes on the ocean, she asked, "Zane?"

"Yes."

"I care about you. Your graduation made me realise that," she stated slowly. "But what happened afterwards and up until now has…I…"

"It's okay."

Alexis was perplexed. "Huh?"

"I know what you're going to say."

Her brown eyes widened. "Really? You know that I…I love you?"

His silver eyes looked into hers, serious yet warm. "Yes, Lexy…I feel the same way."

"Oh, Zane!" Alexis embraced him. "I'm glad. Thank you."

He gave a quiet chuckle, returning the hug. "You're welcome."

Sakura and Hilary watched them a short distance away.

"One confession down, one to go right Hil?" the pink-haired ninja winked playfully, making the brunette flush deep crimson.

"Y-yeah," she agreed awkwardly. She cleared her throat, regaining her composure and smiling at Sakura. "Two returns down, one to go."

"Yes…" Sakura nodded, her eyes returning to the couple before them. Her voice was filled with longing.


	10. Revelations

The G-revolutions were still at the park when they came back from the Academy. Sakura sat on a bench telling Kenny more about shinobi and Hilary had gone off somewhere with Kai to talk with him alone; perhaps to confess. She giggled at the thought. Alexis had chosen to stay at Duel Academy with Zane until he recovered although she promised to rejoin them as soon as there was any word on Sasuke. She had used some medical jutsus on him so it would not be long before he was okay again. As long as he was careful, his heart would not be a problem.

Her curiosity getting the better of her, Sakura finished her conversation with the Chief and headed off in the direction Kai and Hilary had taken; the temptation was too great, she could not take it anymore. She just had to see what those two were up to.

It did not take long to find them. They stood side by side, leaning on the metal railings on a platform that overlooked the sea. Sakura hid in some shrubbery not far from them, using her ninja skills to conceal her presence.

They were quiet for a while. Neither of them moved. The light breeze tousled their hair, made Kai's long white scarf billow slightly, lifted the hem of Hilary's black dress, swirled cherry blossoms from the trees. They seemed so comfortable, so at peace with each other.

Hilary spoke. "Kai, there's something important I need to tell you."

"Hn. Go ahead," was his nonchalant reply, though Sakura could see he was listening closely.

"You are so much more than a team-mate and friend to me," the brunette told him. "You've been there when no one else was and in return I've done the same so…I want to take things further." She turned and faced him, grasped the short sleeves of his black jacket tightly. Ruby bore into amethyst. "It's because I…I love you."

A pause followed. His amethyst eyes stared deep into her ruby pools, as if searching for something. It was such a penetrating, intoxicating gaze that Hilary averted hers from his; he had never looked at her like that before. Nor anyone else for that matter.

She had seen something in those purple orbs prior to breaking his stare, something which both thrilled and terrified her. Something she could not put a name to yet it was as palpable as the gaze that remained upon her. She stared hard at the ground, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks beneath such close scrutiny, fighting down the urge to break the silence. _Come on, say something. I've done my part. I've told you my feelings…now it's up to you. _

"Hilary…"

Her heart quickened at the sound of her name falling from his lips. She did not dare to look up, feeling his hands grasp her shoulders. Gentle but firm, they pulled her to him and her head rested against his chest. The unexpected show of affection and close physical proximity made her gasp.

"Hn." He closed his eyes and smirked at her reaction.

Hilary glanced up, her blush deepening. "So…what do you say?" she managed to ask.

"Hn." His smirk broadened. "Let's do it."

She threw her arms around him and his response told her everything she needed to know. Her feelings were not unrequited. Their relationship had gone even further than she had imagined and from here on out, things would only get better.

Sakura smiled at them. _I'm glad it turned out good for you, Hilary. I know you and Kai will do well together. _

Some days later, a shinobi wearing a dark blue headband bearing the same leaf symbol as Sakura's arrived in Bay City. The G-revolutions were startled by the ninja's sudden appearance at the Granger dojo - he had materialised out of thin air with a puff of white smoke. They watched curiously as he took Sakura aside and spoke with her in urgent tones.

"Sasuke Uchiha was brought to Konoha by Naruto Uzumaki early this morning," he informed her. "They were both exhausted and injured, the Uchiha more so. Tsunade said you're to come back to the village immediately - you're needed at the hospital."

The magenta-haired kunoichi could only nod numbly. She could not trust her voice. She prepared to perform the justu that would take them to the village, her gloved hands poised to form the first hand sign whilst the other ninja told the onlookers that she was going back home.

He cast her a brief glance and on that signal her hands made signs so fast they were a blur. Before anybody could move, the shinobi vanished, leaving only white smoke in their wake.

They appeared in some woodland not far from the Leaf village and leaped from bough to bough with incredible speed and agility. Sakura's short pink hair was whipped back by the force of the wind whistling past them. Her heart was going a mile a minute and her mind raced. She could hardly believe it; Sasuke was back. He had returned to Konoha. Naruto had kept his promise to her.

But getting called back like that to be at the hospital meant one thing: there was an emergency. She hoped it did not involve any of her friends and her current and former team-mates least of all yet she could not dismiss the fear of being wrong clenching at her heart. _Sasuke, Naruto…please be okay. _

As soon as she reached the hospital, Sakura hastily grabbed her white coat from its peg in her office and threw it on in mid-run, not bothering to change into the rest of her medical uniform. Tsunade met her on the way to the emergency room and filled her in on the situation.

When Sasuke had been brought in, his injuries had been grave. Nurses, medics, specialist medical ninjas and even she herself had been trying for the last few hours to treat him but his condition was deteriorating and he was near death. She listed his injuries; some broken bones, many mortal wounds, severe blood loss, internal bleeding.

"Is Naruto okay?" Sakura asked, anxious after hearing that Sasuke was in such a terrible state.

The Hokage nodded. "His injuries weren't as serious; he'll recover in no time thanks to that nine-tailed fox inside him. He's asleep at the moment and doesn't know what's going on. There's no doubt he'll want to know when he wakes up though."

The unspoken implication of her words hung in the air. _Sasuke's fate is in your hands now. Nobody wants to be the one to tell him if you fail. _

Sakura set her jaw as she entered the emergency room. _I won't. Even if I put my life on the line in the process, I will save you. I couldn't in the past but today that'll change. I'll make up for all the times I failed. For Naruto…for me…for you. _


	11. Sacrificing For Sasuke

Sasuke lay deathly still on a wheeled bed, medical staff gathered around him. One of his muscular forearms was in plaster and his chest was swathed in bandages. According to Tsunade, he had broken his wrist, arm and some ribs. He was covered in a multitude of deep cuts and gashes, most of which had been treated and dressed although there were one or two places where gaping wounds were bleeding profusely. His skin was pale, almost grey; he hardly seemed to breathe. It was a sight which both sickened and horrified her. The constant _beep _of the heart monitor was terrifyingly slow, filling the silence. It was as if it was counting down the amount of time he had left.

She set to work on the wounds which they had been unable to deal with, channelling her chakra into them and repairing the internal parts that had been damaged; capillaries, veins, arteries, organs, bone, skin. It was a gradual and hard process and took most of her energy.

Once she had dressed them, she then moved on to the final, potentially fatal wound. It lay in the centre of his chest, blood soaking the bandages. She placed her hands on them, the sweet, sickening stench of the scarlet liquid infusing her nostrils as it seeped through her fingers. _So much blood. This is worse than I thought. He's been impaled by something…and it's pierced straight through him. I need to work fast! _

Green chakra burst from her submerged facedown palms. All the while, she was very aware of the intervals between the beeps of the ECG in the background lengthening with each passing minute, knelling death closer. How long would it be before it became a continuous, monotonous -

She shook her head furiously, fiercely blinking back tears. _No_. _I won't lose you, Sasuke!_

So slowly. The wound was healing so slowly. The hole in his back had gone but her chakra had yet to repair the ruptured vital organs and veins, stop the bleeding and close the gash in his chest. The more the blood gushed, the more desperately she forced chakra into it in the hopes of speeding up the process.

Minutes crawled by like hours. Sakura managed to mend the various internal parts that had been speared and stop the bleeding from the inside but the blood from the wound on the outside still continued to cover the bandages and her hands. The beep of the ECG was so infrequent she was not sure whether she could hear it anymore. She breathed heavily; she did not have much chakra left. If she used it up she risked passing out or worse. But she could not give in now, not when she was so close to healing the wound completely and saving Sasuke.

_Hang in there! _thought Sakura, frantically pouring her last reserves of chakra with all her might into the wound. Dizziness threatened to overwhelm her; her breaths came out in harsh, ragged gasps, her head throbbed and swam and the blood pounded in her ears. Her body felt like it was on fire. She trembled from head to foot. Her pink hair was plastered to the back of her neck and the sides of her hot, flushed face. She squeezed her eyes shut, concentrating solely on her chakra and pushing herself to the limit.

Not long after, everything felt like it was spinning. She swayed, fighting to stay upright. Every fibre of her being protested.

Her legs buckled and she collapsed across Sasuke's still form. Tears flowed down her cheeks from beneath her closed eyelids. She had to stay awake. She had to.

"Sasuke…" was all she could utter before unconsciousness claimed her.


	12. Success Or Failure?

_Beep_. _Beep_. _Beep_.

A constant, annoying sound reached her, growing louder by the second.

_What the… Don't tell me I left my alarm on again_, she thought grumpily, slowly opening her eyes and groping for the offending clock.

Her hand grasped something cold and metallic. _That doesn't feel like my…wait. What is that? _

She blinked, her vision coming into focus. A gasp escaped her as the realisation struck. _That's no clock - it's an ECG! This is the hospital and I'm - _Sasuke_!_

It all came flooding back her at once. She jolted upright, glancing around wildly. "Sasuke…where's Sasuke? Is he okay?"

"Calm down, Sakura." The Hokage came and sat beside the bed. "You've been out for three days."

"Really?" Sakura's emerald eyes widened. _Of course. That's what can happen if you use up all your chakra and push yourself to the edge. It can even be fatal. _

Tsunade seemed to read her mind for she remarked, "You're lucky to not have been unconscious for longer, the way you were going. You could have perished had you managed to stay awake after using all your chakra because the you would have started to tap into your body's essential chakra flow." Her gaze was stern.

The magenta-haired kunoichi sighed. "I'm sorry I worried you. I wanted to save Sasuke no matter what." Her eyes searched the woman's brown ones. "But did I do it? Did he survive?"

Her face remained serious. She did not answer.

Sakura's heart leaped into her mouth. She felt tears threaten. _Could it be that even after all I've done it wasn't…_

"When we checked him, it looked like you hadn't made any difference," Tsunade told her.

_No… _Sakura gripped the bed sheet so tightly her hands shook. _No! _

"However, when you were lifted off of him, we discovered that the wound had healed completely. There was no internal bleeding and his heartbeat had returned to normal." She smiled proudly at the ninja. "You did it, Sakura. You saved his life and you surpassed me in doing so. His condition's remained stable and has improved since you last saw him."

"Thank goodness…" Sakura breathed a sigh of relief, wiping away the tears in her eyes. "I'm so glad he's going to be alright! Is he awake yet?"

The Hokage was about to reply when Naruto burst into the room, sporting bandages on his head and body. He bombarded her with questions. "Is Sakura okay? Has she woken up? Does she know about Sasuke?"

Tsunade threw him a withering look. "She's fine, Naruto. There's no need to shout."

Sakura's light-hearted mood allowed her to let her loud-mouthed team-mate's rudeness slide for once. It was good to see that he was looking well.

"Yes, I do know about him," she assured the blond-haired ninja kindly. "You brought him home, just like you said you would. Thank you."

Naruto grinned. "No problem. That's my _nindo _- my ninja way - I always keep my promise!"

"You sure do," agreed Sakura. She glanced at her sensei, repeating her previous question.

Tsunade shook her head. "Sasuke's sleeping, which is what both you and Naruto should be doing. You can see him later."

Sakura felt a slight pang of disappointment but conceded, lying back down again. Her eyelids felt unexpectedly heavy and it became increasingly hard to keep them open.

The fear, sorrow, happiness and relief from her talk with the Hokage was catching up with her. Her last thought before she succumbed to sleep was, _Sasuke's back in Konoha and he's alive…but how will things stand between us when I see him? _


	13. Reconciliation

The next day, Sakura visited Sasuke. It was quite early in the morning; the hospital was quiet. The occasional nurse passed her in the corridors as she made her way to his room. She was grateful for the peace - it gave her time to clear her mind and to calm herself down. The prospect of seeing the one she had - and still - loved had set her heart racing and her head spinning with all sorts of questions. What if he did not want to stay in Konoha and had escaped during the night? What if Team Hawk tried to get him back? What if his heart was still closed to the bonds he had once shared with her and Naruto?

_What if, what if…that's all I have to go on_, she thought, pausing outside his door. _Nothing is certain. Just questions and what might have been. _Her hands curled into fists. _Stop being such a coward, Sakura!_ she admonished herself. _This is not the time to be pessimistic. The only way you'll know for sure if Sasuke's here to stay is to _see _him - not stand out here like a scaredy-cat! _

With that, she grabbed the handle and threw the door wide open.

Sasuke lay in bed, swathed from head to toe in bandages. The only sound penetrating the silence was the constant _beep _of a heart monitor and her quiet footsteps as she crossed the room and sat at his bedside.

She looked into his silent face. It was as blank as ever but there was a peacefulness about it she had never seen before and his whole body seemed to be relaxed, not a trace of tension anywhere. His chest rose and fell with steady, deep breaths. He seemed so serene, so tranquil. It was as if he had completely cast aside the cold, hard demeanour.

Sakura had a feeling that he had not been this way nor slept this deeply in a long time. Seeing him like that almost felt like an intrusion, something forbidden. Yet she could not tear her gaze away from him. Could not resist stroking the soft raven locks cascading down the side of his face.

"Sakura."

A deep, familiar voice jerked her out of a daydream she had not realised she had lapsed into.

Her hand withdrew abruptly like she had been burned. Her heart thumped uneasily in her chest. The heat rushed to her face.

She stared fixedly at the floor. "Sorry," she mumbled, mentally scolding herself for getting carried away.

There was a short, awkward pause as Sakura pulled herself together and forced herself to meet his eyes. It would have been so easy to drown in those dark depths but she kept her nerve and restrained the urge. There was no way she wanted to lose control again. To be weak in front of _him_.

"Is your revenge done?"

Sasuke gave the slightest of nods. His gaze did not stray from hers.

"Will you be staying long?" she asked.

Sasuke remained silent for a moment then replied, "I went with Naruto of my own free will."

Sakura's eyes narrowed, his words sending her heart pounding again. "What about your team?"

"I let them go but they came here yesterday. They have nowhere else to go."

She could not believe her ears. _He's…he's back for good! _she thought dazedly. _He's really come home._

She blinked back the tears threatening to fill her eyes and smiled. "I'm sure Tsunade will accept both you and Team Hawk into Konoha. If she doesn't, you can bet Naruto and I will fight your corner!"

A smirk spread across his face. "That loser better or I'll Chidori his butt."

Sakura laughed. Sasuke really was back. "I'll send him to _Suna _if he doesn't defend you!" She cracked her knuckles in anticipation at the thought.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow and she blushed, her grin broadening. "You're not the only one who's got stronger," she told him proudly. "I didn't just learn medical jutsus under Tsunade. Next time we train, you'll see why."

The Uchiha grunted, shifting into an upright position. A hiss escaped his clenched teeth.

Her hands were on him immediately, her nimble fingers flying over his skin, feeling for the source of his discomfort as she swept a trained eye over his body. She found it and placed a glowing green hand over a dressed gash in his muscular arm, infusing it with healing chakra.

Sasuke relaxed visibly as the pain subsided. He stared, transfixed, as the agate radiance faded from her downward palm. Sakura really did live up to her reputation as the best medical ninja in Konoha. Her hands had never been designed to take lives but to save them. He would not be here if it had not been for her.

"Do you feel better now?" Sakura asked.

"Yes," he answered, meeting her gaze once more.

"Good." She smiled. "This is going to be a fresh start for you and Team Seven. I'm sure things will soon be just like old times - only better."

His smirk returned. "Yeah."

The tears she had held back earlier welled in her eyes again and she mentally cursed. Darn emotions. Why did she have to be like this? _I thought I promised myself not to cry in front of him but…I can't help it. It feels like we've been apart forever! _

She threw her arms around his neck. "You have no idea how much I missed you! I never stopped believing, not for a second."

After years of concealing all the pain and sorrow, her tears spilled over, endless, unstoppable. Her emotions were raw and on the surface, deeply evident in every broken cry that tore from her and each sob that wracked her body.

"My feelings haven't changed. I still love you, Sasuke!"

Sasuke grunted and she heard the smile in his voice when he replied, "Even after all this time, you're still annoying."

"I know," she sniffed. "But that's what makes me special, right?"

He drew her close. "More than you know."

Sakura smiled through her tears. "Thank you, Sasuke."


	14. All Together Again

Sasuke recovered quickly with the help of Sakura's chakra ministrations and he went with her to Bay City a couple of days later. She had contacted Hilary prior to this and let her know they were coming. The brunette had been pleased to hear from her and had promised to pass the message on to Alexis at Duel Academy.

Sakura's thoughts were interrupted as a flash caught her eye. The sun glanced off the metal plate bearing the Konoha leaf symbol on Sasuke's black headband. Seeing him wearing one again made her heart swell with pride and joy. He had been assessed after being told his punishment (which was community service and low rank missions for a year as well as being watched closely at home) and his skills were almost jounin level. For now, he had been designated a chunin until the time came for ninja to be tested for the next rank up.

Sasuke felt her gaze and looked at her quizzically. "What is it?"

She laughed. "Nothing really. It's just nice to see you with a headband. Does it feel good to wear one again?"

He nodded. "Definitely."

They entered the park, where Alexis, Zane and the G-revolutions were waiting for them. Hilary and Alexis greeted them warmly. As the two girls introduced themselves to Sasuke, Sakura noticed how close Kai stood to Hilary and Zane's gentle but firm grasp on Alexis' hand. They would never leave their girlfriends' sides again; that was for sure. Just as she was certain her beloved Uchiha would remain beside her.

Hilary gazed up at the tall raven-haired teen next to Sakura in wonder. The way he held himself, his powerful presence, his strong build, even the fact that he belonged to a rich and famous family - it all reminded her of the silent Russian at her side. There was no doubt Alexis was feeling the same way about his similarities to Zane. Sasuke was exactly as Sakura had described him, if not more. Was it just coincidence that she and her friends had fallen in love with cold, mysterious boys who had troubled pasts and presents?

_It can't be_, she thought, slipping her hand through Kai's. _I don't believe it's pure luck that Alexis, Sakura and I met either. Our personalities and situations are too similar for that. It must be fate. _She smiled when she felt his fingers intertwine with hers in response. _There's no other way to explain it. _She watched Alexis rest her head against Zane's shoulder as he put an arm around her protectively and Sakura go on tiptoe to kiss Sasuke in a passionate embrace. It was heartwarming to see the girls happy in the arms of their loved ones again. Patience and unwavering devotion had brought them back together. _I guess it just shows you that given the chance, love really can transcend time and overcome fate. _

Seeing Tyson and Daichi's disgusted expressions at Sasuke's and Sakura's kiss, Hilary smirked. She sent a sly, sidelong glance to Alexis who nodded and with that, they kissed their unsuspecting boyfriends.

The onlooking boys made retching noises. "Get a room!" they shouted.

The three girls burst out laughing whilst their surprised lovers turned a colour that put Sakura's headband to shame.

"Hn." Kai grunted. "That was low, Hilary."

She giggled at his scowl. "Relax, I'm just having some fun! Besides, I'm in love with you so I have the right."

"Is that so?" A smirk of his own crossed his face, amethyst eyes glinting deviously.

Before she could answer, he grabbed her into a strong embrace. Her gasp at his sudden actions was all he needed to slip his tongue into her mouth and explore her inviting cavern. Darn, did she taste good. Her sweetness was almost overwhelming.

He probed every nook and cranny with such gentleness and intensity that she melted against him; her stomach did little somersaults, her knees felt like they were going to give way at any second and her face was aflame. She subconsciously arched her neck and back as he deepened the kiss further and his gloved hands tangled themselves in her shoulder-length brown hair, clinging to his dark purple shirt like a lifeline. A small moan of pleasure escaped her.

He broke away not long after. Hilary stared dazedly into space through ruby eyes half-lidded with passion, breathing heavily, lips slightly parted, face, neck and breast flushed. Her pulse raced. Her mind, which had turned to mush the moment his soft, warm lips had met hers, was reeling from the pure exhilaration he had incited in her. She had never been caressed in such a way before. So flustered and breathless was she that she did not notice his fingers draw back her coral jacket and his head drop down so he could run his mouth along her delicate collarbone and suck the exposed skin at the base of her neck.

Only when the others were in fits of laughter did she realise he had left his mark. It was her turn to blush.

"What was that for?" she demanded, glaring at him, embarrassed that she had allowed him to take advantage of her so easily like that.

"Hn." Kai's smirk broadened. "Payback. I have the right too, don't I?"


End file.
